Environmental Health Commons^™

Imidacloprid Effects On The Survival And Cutaneous Microbiome Of Northern Leopard Frogs, Evelyn Margaret Osterloo

Honors Thesis

Amphibians are experiencing population declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and diseases, particularly chytridiomycosis caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Protection from this fungal infection stems from the cutaneous microbiome. Pesticides have been shown to affect amphibians in a variety of ways, including reducing survival, locomotor performance, and accumulation in body tissues. Pesticides may also lead to changes in the cutaneous microbiome affecting amphibians who rely on these organisms as an anti-Bd defense mechanism. To investigate the effect of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, Northern Leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) were subjected to sublethal concentrations (control = …

Evaluation Of Schoenoplectus Californicus In An Artificial System For E. Coli Removal, Kimia Ahmadiyehyazdi

Masters Theses (Archived)

Green technologies and nature-based solutions like constructed wetlands have be come more popular due to their environmentally friendly approach to remediation, low cost of construction, and maintenance. Also, they have shown efficiency in removing a wide range of contaminants. However, choosing a suitable aquatic plant for this system is one of the questions that should be answered wisely. Schoenoplectus californicus– Giant Bulrush is an aquatic plant that was tested in this controlled constructed wetland, and the final concentration of the targeted microbial contamination, which is E. coli, was reduced remarkably. Also, for this study, soil was removed from the …

Characterization Of Airborne Bacterial Diversity In Conventional Hen Houses, Enriched Colonies And Aviaries, And Link Between Possible Bioaerosol Sources, M.-W. St-Germain, M. Veillette, V. Létourneau, A. D. Larios Martínez, S. Godbout, M. Boulianne, C. Duchaine

Études primaires

Background

Canada’s transition toward alternative housing systems for laying hens may have an impact on bioaerosol content and concentrations in those environments. This project aimed to characterize the airborne bacterial diversity in six conventional hen houses, six enriched colonies and six aviaries. The bacterial diversity found in bioaerosols was also compared to the diversity found in feces or litter samples from each corresponding housing type to investigate similarities between possible bioaerosol sources and bioaerosols.

Results

Specific richness (S_obs) and CHAO1 indexes were higher in air samples from conventional hen houses and enriched colonies, compared to their corresponding fecal …

Using Bivalves As An Indicator For Fecal Bacteria, Kamala Chuss

Honors Scholar Theses

This project focuses on the integration of fecal bacteria from warm-blooded animals into bivalve tissue, and the utilization of bivalves as an indicator for fecal bacteria in waterways. Bivalves may give a more representative long-term average of fecal bacteria in water as compared to direct water testing. The primary objective is to create a standard operating procedure to use bacterial testing of bivalves as a proxy for bacteria concentration in the water. This method can be used in places where bivalves do not already exist by adding them to a body of water, or by collecting bivalves that already exist …

Degradation Of Chlorpyrifos Residue On Tropical Inceptisol Soil With Indigenous Bacteria Treatment, Asep Kurnia, Hidayatuz Zu`Amah, Baiq Nunung Sulastri, Ria Fauriah Makmur

Makara Journal of Science

The use of soil microbes is one of the most effective methods for degrading pesticide residue in soil. Microbes can accelerate the degradation of persistent pollutants including chlorpyrifos in soil. This research aims to find soil bacteria with the greatest potential to degrade chlorpyrifos residue in tropical inceptisol soil and determine its degradation index (DI). The soil used in this experiment was collected from agricultural fields in the districts of Demak, Central Java Province, Indonesia. The experiment was performed using factorial randomize complete block design composed of two factors and four replications. The first factors were made up of two …

Comparing The Microbiomes Of Dental Plaques In 19th Century Ancestral Remains, Ananya Udyaver

UROP Posters

During the construction of VCU’s Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building in April 1994, nineteenth century ancestral remains were found in an abandoned well on the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) campus. This well, now known as the East Marshall Street Well (EMSW), is thought to have been used as a disposal location for cadaver dissection for surgical and other medical waste in the past. VCU is now seeking to use DNA sequencing technology to match and assemble bones from each individual for a proper burial, uncover the cultural and historical context in which these people lived, and bring a …

Diversity Of Bacteriophage In Burkholderia Species, Abigail Price

Honors Projects

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria and offer the potential of a therapeutic alternative to chronic infections that do not respond to antibiotic-based therapies. B. vietnamiensis is one of a number of Burkholderia species involved with chronic drug resistant infections in the lungs of individuals with compromised respiratory systems, as found in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and, most especially, are of particular significance in patients with cystic fibrosis. The diversity of the Burkholderia species is explored by using online databases and looking at bacteriophage or phage-encoding viruses found in B. vietnamiensis. The open reading frames …

Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …

Évaluation De L'Exposition Des Thanatopracteurs Aux Bioaérosols Et Appréciation Du Risque Sur Leur Santé, Geneviève Marchand, Loïc Wingert, Stéphane Hallé, Maximilien Debia

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Plusieurs manipulations réalisées sur les corps des défunts par les thanatopracteurs produisent des bioaérosols qui peuvent contenir des agents pathogènes infectieux. La ventilation générale est souvent le seul moyen utilisé dans les laboratoires de thanatopraxie pour maîtriser les bioaérosols. Toutefois, il n’y a pas de recommandations précises pour sa mise en application. De plus, peu d'études abordent les expositions professionnelles aux bioaérosols dans le domaine de la thanatopraxie tant quantitativement (niveau d’exposition) que qualitativement (identification et classification selon les groupes de risque). L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer l’exposition des thanatopracteurs aux bioaérosols afin d’apprécier les risques potentiels sur leur …

Development, Validation, And Application Of A Novel Method To Separate And Quantify Silver Intracellular Uptake In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Mohammed A. Othman

Theses and Dissertations

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted tremendous attention as a potential broadspectrum antimicrobial agent to overcome multidrug resistant (MDR) infections. However, a comprehensive understanding to AgNPs bactericidal mechanism of action and the relative role of particulate versus ionic Ag in AgNPs antibacterial activity is lacking but essential for their optimization for potential medical applications. Therefore, a novel method to separate and quantify Ag internalization in P. aeruginosa was developed and validated through multimethod approach. The methods used were optical density at 600 nm (OD600), LIVE/DEAD staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and sorbed Ag liberation assays. After optimizing the method, it was …

Assessing Embalmer Exposure To Bioaerosols And The Associated Health Risk, Geneviève Marchand, Loïc Wingert, Stéphane Hallé, Maximilien Debia

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Plusieurs manipulations réalisées sur les corps des défunts par les thanatopracteurs produisent des bioaérosols qui peuvent contenir des agents pathogènes infectieux. La ventilation générale est souvent le seul moyen utilisé dans les laboratoires de thanatopraxie pour maîtriser les bioaérosols. Toutefois, il n’y a pas de recommandations précises pour sa mise en application. De plus, peu d'études abordent les expositions professionnelles aux bioaérosols dans le domaine de la thanatopraxie tant quantitativement (niveau d’exposition) que qualitativement (identification et classification selon les groupes de risque). L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer l’exposition des thanatopracteurs aux bioaérosols afin d’apprécier les risques potentiels sur leur …

Réduire L’Exposition Des Travailleurs Aux Gaz, Odeurs, Poussières Et Agents Pathogènes Humains Présents Dans Les Bâtiments Porcins, Matthieu Girard, Caroline Duchaine, Stéphane Godbout, Ariane Lévesque, Valérie Létourneau, Stéphane P. Lemay

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les éleveurs de porcs du Québec sont quotidiennement exposés à d’importantes quantités de gaz, d’odeurs, de poussières et de bioaérosols. Par conséquent, ils sont à risque de développer des problèmes respiratoires (ex. asthme) ainsi que des maladies infectieuses telles qu’une méningite à Streptococcus suis. Le risque de développer un problème de santé est lié au nombre d’heures passées à l’intérieur des bâtiments d’élevage ainsi qu’aux concentrations des différents contaminants. De plus, les travailleurs peuvent être en contact avec des bactéries résistantes aux antibiotiques soit des bactéries sélectionnées par l’emploi d’agents antimicrobiens utilisés lors de l’engraissement des animaux. Finalement, de …

Microbial Extracellular Polymeric Substances (Epss) In Ocean Systems, Alan W. Decho, Tony Gutierrez

Faculty Publications

Microbial cells (i.e., bacteria, archaea, microeukaryotes) in oceans secrete a diverse array of large molecules, collectively called extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) or simply exopolymers. These secretions facilitate attachment to surfaces that lead to the formation of structured ‘biofilm’ communities. In open-water environments, they also lead to formation of organic colloids, and larger aggregations of cells, called ‘marine snow.’ Secretion of EPS is now recognized as a fundamental microbial adaptation, occurring under many environmental conditions, and one that influences many ocean processes. This relatively recent realization has revolutionized our understanding of microbial impacts on ocean systems. EPS occur in a range …

Dredging Land Reclamation Causing Mucus Development In Massive Spherical Corals In The Spratly Islands, South China Sea: The Effects On China’S Fishing Industry, Tiffany K. Ho

UROP Posters

Images from Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative depicted huge masses of white coral mucus secreted from coral reefs in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, an area where several land reclamation projects are occurring. The purpose of this research was to understand how increased sedimentation levels from the dredging land reclamation method affects mucus development in massive corals, such as Acropora, located in these reefs. Journal articles that focused on the biology of coral mucus, bacterial communities associated with coral tissue, mucus, and seawater, coral mortality from different environment impacts, coral coverage of reefs in Spratly Islands, and symbiotic …

Impacts From The Use Of Antibiotics In Livestock: Methods Of Transmission Of Antibiotic Resistance From Livestock To Humans, Kristin M. Walden

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Antibiotic use in livestock production has been around since the 1950s. Antibiotic feed is used in livestock and other meat producing animals for three reasons: illness prevention, illness treatment, and growth promotion. Unfortunately, since the time that antibiotics were first invented, antibiotic resistant bacteria have become a threat to public health. There are many studies showing methods of transmission of antibiotic resistance from livestock to humans. Antibiotic resistance can spread from livestock to soil, water, insects, and food, which ultimately comes into contact with humans. A proposed study to measure antibiotic resistance when eliminating antibiotic feed will provide a hypothesis …

Microbial Communities Of The Providence River, Jacqueline Kratch

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The Providence River has been industrialized for over one-hundred years. Industries such as oil storage and metal recycling facilities have left high levels of pollutant metals, including lead (Pb), in the soil and water. The elevated Pb concentrations in these environments influence the selection of Pb resistance mechanisms in the bacterial community1. One mechanism of heavy metal resistance is the Pb efflux pump, consisting of proteins in the cell membrane that aid in the transport of Pb out of the cell2. In this study we investigated the co-occurrence of Pb efflux pumps and antibiotic efflux pumps in bacteria from Pb …

Effects Of Urban Stream Burial On Organic Matter Dynamics And Reach Scale Nitrate Retention, Jake J. Beaulieu, Paul M. Mayer, Sujay S. Kaushal, Michael J. Pennino, Clay P. Arango, David A. Balz, Timothy J. Canfield, Colleen M. Elonen, Ken M. Fritz, Brian H. Hill, Hodon Ryu, Jorge W. Santo Domingo

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Nitrogen (N) retention in streams is an important ecosystem service that may be affected by the widespread burial of streams in stormwater pipes in urban watersheds. We predicted that stream burial suppresses the capacity of streams to retain nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) by eliminating primary production, reducing respiration rates and organic matter availability, and increasing specific discharge. We tested these predictions by measuring whole-stream NO₃ ⁻ removal rates using ¹⁵NO₃ ⁻ isotope tracer releases in paired buried and open reaches in three streams in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA) during four seasons. Nitrate uptake lengths were 29 times …

Estimation Of Aerosolized Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Concentrations From Wastewater Treatment Facilities Using Spatially-Based Dispersion Modeling, Renee Nichole Dickman

Theses and Dissertations

Pathogenic bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics to which they were previously sensitive, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. The increase in drug resistance in bacteria is an emerging public health concern. The activated sludge tanks of wastewater treatment plants are known sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria. These resistant bacteria can become aerosolized and disperse downwind. Using previously sampled aerosol concentrations and meteorological data, a Gaussian dispersion model was developed to estimate the concentration downwind from a selected wastewater treatment facility. The emission rate was calculated to be 7,941 CFU/m²/sec ± 2,149 CFU/m²/sec. This value was used in …

Microbial Content Of Abattoir Wastewater And Its Contaminated Soil In Lagos, Nigeria, A. O. Adesemoye, B. O. Opere, S. C. O. Makinde

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Microbial content of wastewater in two abattoirs and the impact on microbial population of receiving soil was studied in Agege and Ojo Local Government Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria. Wastewater samples were collected from each of the abattoirs over three months period and examined for microbial content. Soil samples contaminated with the wastewaters were also collected and analyzed for microbial content as compared to soil without wastewater contamination in the neighborhood (control). Some physico-chemical parameters of the samples such as total dissolved solid, chemical oxygen demand, etc., were examined. The wastewater samples from both abattoirs were highly contaminated; Agege abattoir …

Heavy Metal Toxicity In Bioremediation: Microbial Cultures And Microscopy, Jason B. Goodbody

Theses and Dissertations

This research employed a variety of microscopy and spread plating techniques to observe the effects of heavy metal treatments on a toluene-selected bacterial population. Microbial colonies were cultured on spread plates and the resulting numbers were compared to respiration data. The mechanisms of reproduction were demonstrated to be more sensitive to metal treatments than were the mechanisms of respiration. Phase contrast, Gram stain, fluorescent microscopy, were used to compare and document a wide variety of bacteria resulting from different metal treatments as well as from environmental changes within the source bioreactor. The removal of sensitive bacteria and the selection of …

Limnological Aspects Of Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona, John R. Baker, James E. Deacon, Thomas A. Burke, Samuel S. Egdorf, Larry J. Paulson, Richard W. Tew, Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

Lake Mead is a deep, subtropical, moderately productive, desert impoundment with a negative heterograde oxygen profile occurring during; the summer stratification. investigations of the Boulder Basin of Lake Mead by the University of Nevada were initiated in November 1971. The primary objective of the study was to determine what effects industrial and sewage effluent from the Las Vegas metropolitan area, discharged into Las Vegas Bay, have had on the water quality and limnological conditions of Boulder Basin. Data from the 1975-76 period are presented in detail, with earlier data included in the summaries and discussions. Measurements of water temperature, dissolved …